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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Near Indianapolis, IN

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Graduate of an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. The AANA has compiled current listings of approved training institutions, which are published annually in the December issue of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Journal. The American Hospital Association in their 'Guide to the Health Care Field' also publishes listings of approved training institutions annually in August.

Certification

1. On and after May 4, 1993, certification by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to non-certified nurse anesthetists employed by VA as a nurse anesthetist prior to May 4, 1993 and continuously thereafter. Any nurse anesthetist who leaves VA employment or vacates the nurse anesthetist occupation for another VA position, must meet the current requirement of certification for re-appointment as a nurse anesthetist. The CCNA and the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists have designated the AANA's web site as a display agent for their information.
2. Nurse Anesthetists will maintain recertification by meeting the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetist's requirements as a condition of employment.

Recent Graduates

1. A graduate nurse anesthetist who has applied to take the national Certification Examination and has been declared Certification Eligible may be given a temporary appointment for a period not to exceed one year as a graduate nurse anesthetist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(D). The graduate nurse anesthetist must take the national Certification Examination at the earliest schedulable date following the date of their temporary appointment. At the time of appointment as a graduate nurse anesthetist, the Chief, Anesthesia Section or Service Chief/Product Line Manager will provide the graduate nurse anesthetist a copy of this section of the qualification standard and make clear the consequences for not becoming certified during the 1-year temporary appointment. Upon certification by the CCNA, the graduate nurse anesthetist will be converted to an appointment under.
2. Failure to become certified within the one-year period will result in removal as a nurse anesthetist and may result in termination from employment.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience as a CRNA

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required. The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. The VA Medical Center is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility serving medical, surgical and neurological inpatients and outpatients. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects will be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Must be able to function with potential periods of fatigue, standing, and dynamic situations that occur in the operative environment. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Responsibilities:

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS (CRNA)To provide anesthesia care coverage within a variety of clinical settings, participate in on-call coverage, and contribute to the clinical education of nurse anesthesia students.

- Duties Include but are not limited to

• Assessment, consultation and preparation of stable, critically ill, injured, or otherwise seriously ill patients in a collaborative relationship with physician anesthesia providers. Pre-anesthesia care requirements must include documentation that the risks and benefits of anesthesia were discussed, and the patient has agreed to the planned anesthetic and procedures. Other elements include review of medical record; interviewing and examining the patient; obtaining or reviewing tests and consultations necessary to the conduct of anesthesia; and determining the appropriate prescription of pre-operative medications as necessary to the conduct of anesthesia.
• Provision of a broad range of anesthetic techniques (general, total intravenous anesthesia, regional blockade, MAC/local) to render varying degrees of sedation, comfort, and insensibility to pain during surgical, non-surgical therapeutic, palliative, and diagnostic procedures in a variety of settings such as Cardiac Cath, Gastroenterology (GI), Radiology, Psychiatry, Pulmonary, and Emergency departments.
• Monitoring of patients during the anesthetic, perioperative or periprocedural period using the VA anesthesia record keeping system (ARK) and electronic health records (VISTA, CPRS). Qualified anesthesia health care personnel must be present in the room throughout the conduct of all general anesthetics, regional anesthetics, and monitored anesthesia care. During all anesthetics, the patient's oxygenation, ventilation, circulation, and temperature must be continually evaluated. For body temperature, this means continual monitoring when clinically significant changes in body temperature are intended, anticipated, or suspected.
• Performing a time-out before all regional anesthesia, wherever it occurs is a mandatory part of safe, high quality patient
• Assisting in the clinical management of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and difficult airway management between other departments such as the Intensive Care Units and Emergency Department
• Evaluation of respiratory function and application of respiratory therapy in a range of techniques that may include fiberoptic, video-laryngoscopic and transtracheal devices.
• Supervision, teaching, and evaluation of the performance of medical, nursing, and allied health care personnel in anesthesia, pain medicine, respiratory, and critical care who come to the OR for training
• Conducting and collaborating in research projects at the clinical and basic science level when conducive to perioperative throughput
• Administrative and leadership involvement in hospital activities, committees, medical, and nursing school affiliations.
• Perioperative data collection and monitoring of quality indicators.
• All other duties as assigned.

CRNA staff report to the Chief CRNA and Chief Anesthesiologist of the Anesthesia Section. Matters related to the clinical supervision of students are managed by the departmental Clinical Coordinator.

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule:

• Full time
• 80 per two week pay period
• Monday through Friday 7am to 3:30pm; or 4-10 hour shifts, 7am -5:30pm
• NO ON CALL

Compressed: Authorized
Telework: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary